The Interview

Before the Interview

To get the best information from interviews, adopt a strategy that allows interviewees to present their qualifications as thoroughly and as positively as possible in a well-prepared, standardized process. Start by making sure that all interviewees have the same expectations and information about the interview and have access to someone affiliated with the recruitment who can answer questions before the interview.

• When a candidate is contacted for an interview be sure to share the names and roles of who will be involved in the interview, and what process will be followed (see FAQ below). If the interview is in person, provide directions to the interview location (consider including a campus map with directions) and information about transportation (e.g., public transit, Loop bus, parking). Always include ADA information (e.g., building entrance, parking) to all interviewees. If held over Zoom, ensure that the candidate has a reliable device and internet service to use for the interview, or discuss other options. Give the candidate an opportunity to ask questions.
• When contacting candidates for interview scheduling, avoid jeopardizing their current employment. When calling, always ask if it is a good time to talk. Use extra caution when leaving voicemail.
• When scheduling the interview, ask every candidate whether there is anything they’ll need for the interview. Ask every candidate if they would like to request a disability accommodation. If they do and you don’t know how to meet their request, contact Disability Management Services for information and assistance. For more information see Disabilities, below. Provide a follow up email confirming the date, time, location information, and who they can contact when a need comes up.
• Schedule all in person interviews in fully accessible areas.
• When planning the first round interviews, consider providing the candidate with the interview questions in advance of the interview; we recommend 24 hours in advance. Let the candidates know that they will get the questions ahead of time. This gives interviewees time to formulate thoughtful responses and may relieve pre-interview stress which enables them to be at their best. Subsequent interviews can be conducted without providing the questions in advance to allow for an open and spontaneous discussion. 

Developing Interview Questions

Develop a standard set of questions to be asked of all interviewees. The questions should always be based on the requirements for the job. A good way to start is to write at least one question for each qualification or combination of qualifications that share a set of skills. This ensures enough is learned from the interview to make informed decisions about how well interviewees meet the qualifications.

The interview can skip some of the qualifications (e.g., degrees, certificates, years of experience) if you are able to sufficiently evaluate how well applicants meet them during the initial screening of application materials. The interview questions can focus on those qualifications that can be better evaluated with a combination of interview and screening of application materials (e.g., how they collaborate across functional areas) and those that can only be evaluated from interactions during the interview (e.g., verbal communication skills).

You may ask follow-up and clarifying job-related questions to particular interviewees derived from their application materials or their answers during the interview on top of the standard set of questions. For example, you may ask: “We couldn’t tell from your application whether you actually resolve customers’ complaints, or just received and recorded them for someone else to resolve.”

The following are illegal to ask:

• Age or birthdate
• Maiden name or prior married name, marital status
• Birthplace, nationality
• Race
• Religion
• Financial status (e.g. loans, bankruptcies, garnishments), or whether they rent or own a home
• Arrest record
• Current salary or salary history
• Parental status, number and age of children, childcare arrangements
• General medical condition, state of health, history of illnesses
• Record of receiving Workers’ Compensation benefits
• Dates of military service, type of discharge
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Sex

During the Interview

Always remember that while you are interviewing the candidates, they are interviewing you, the hiring unit, and UCSC as well. Do your best to ensure the space and committee members are ready to start on time. Try to put the interviewee at ease. It’s helpful to chat a bit and introduce everyone. It’s O.K. to smile and be friendly. Make sure to ask if they need anything before starting.

If an interviewee gives very short answers, it is important to ask follow-up questions rather than just noting “gave short answers”, or “not enough said in order to rate the answer”. Remember, this is an opportunity to learn all you can from the interviewee. Review their application materials before the interview and be prepared to ask job-related follow-up questions in areas you want to know more about. Invite them to elaborate on the short answer they give with concrete examples and details. For example, ask “say more about how the steps you took helped achieve that outcome; what was your role?”.

If the interviewee misunderstands a question, or finds that it is unclear, try saying it again in a different way.

If it is clear after the first few questions that the person doesn’t meet the qualifications for the job, continue the interview as thoroughly and professionally as you would with any other interviewee. When it’s obvious to a candidate that they aren’t being taken seriously, it’s easy for them to conclude that the process isn’t fair, or that they are not being given full consideration. This can possibly result in a formal complaint.

Check the time mid-point to make sure you are on schedule to finish the standard set of questions and have time for interviewees’ questions.

Leave time for an important last question: “Do you have any questions you’d like to ask us?” Interviewees feel more engaged when you allow them to interact.

Plan for final talking points to use when closing each interview.

• Thank the candidates for their time and interest;
• Describe the rest of your process (e.g., we have another two weeks of interviews, we will notify continuing candidates before calling their reference checks);
• Tell them when they can expect to hear from you (give yourself plenty of time for short, unexpected delays);
• Remind them of who they can contact in the future if they have questions or desire an update on their status.

Interviewees who aren’t being offered the job appreciate it if you share their final status promptly. At the very minimum, notify them by email immediately either after you know they will not continue in the process, or if they are an alternate candidate for hire, notify them after the job offer has been accepted by the top candidate.

Disabilities

The University prohibits discrimination against any person seeking employment based on disability. For the full statement. Select this link for the full statement.

Make sure that your hiring process does not disadvantage interviewees with disabilities. You are responsible for asking all interviewees if they require an accommodation in order to participate in the interview. You are also responsible for ensuring reasonable accommodations are provided, if requested. For example, you may need to arrange for a sign language interpreter for a deaf interviewee, or conduct the interview in a space that is accessible for interviewees with impaired mobility. For guidance on accommodating interviewees contact the Disability Management Coordinator (831/459-4602).

In order to properly accommodate a candidate with a disability, ask questions about the type of accommodation needed. However, do not make inquiries regarding the candidate’s health, medical history, or disability unless it directly relates to the ability to provide or clarify the requested accommodation.

After interviews, when you are considering hiring a qualified candidate with a disability, consider their ability to perform essential job functions with the addition of any needed reasonable accommodations. A reasonable accommodation is any alteration in the work environment or in the way things are usually done that makes it possible for a person with a disability to do the job without creating undue hardship for the University. For guidance about accommodations for new employees, contact the Disability Management Coordinator.

Ask about a person’s qualifications, not about their disabilities.

You may ask a candidate:

• Only job-related questions that speak to the functions of the job for which the applicant is applying.
• Can you perform this task, either with or without a reasonable accommodation? Or, more generally, you may ask whether a candidate can perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodation.
• You may ask all candidates to describe or demonstrate how they would perform a task, but be sure to ask this of all candidates, not just those you think have a disability.
• You may ask all candidates if they can meet the attendance requirements of the job.

Don’t ask a candidate:

• about the nature or severity of a disability;
• how much sick leave a person used in prior jobs;
• whether they will need accommodation in order to do the job;
• whether or not they have a disability or what the disability is.

Advice for interviewing applicants with visible disabilities:

• Ask if a person needs assistance before assisting them.
• If you’re not sure how to assist, ask what kind of assistance would be helpful.
• Speak in a normal tone unless requested to do otherwise.
• Look directly at the candidate, even if they are blind, because it will direct your voice in the right direction.
• Talk directly to the candidate, even if the candidate is using a sign interpreter or has an attendant present.
• When talking to a candidate in a wheelchair, try to be at their eye level, and choose to sit if possible.
• If a candidate is missing a hand or arm, follow their lead; shake whatever they offer.
• If a candidate appears with a guide dog or helper-dog, remember that it is not a pet, but a working dog. Don’t try to interact with the animal.
• Allow ample time for responses from candidates with speech disorders (never assume a speech impairment means the person has a mental impairment).
• If you do not understand what an applicant is saying, don’t pretend you understand. Ask them to repeat what they said.

If a candidate raises the issue of needing an accommodation in order to do the job, simply confirm it is the university’s policy to provide employment accommodations, and if they’re the successful candidate, you will discuss their needs and plan the appropriate arrangements before they start work.

Evaluation, Discussion, and Deliberation

Take notes when conducting interviews and evaluate the candidates based on your notes. The notes you take should be related to the job and qualifications.

Avoid biases when taking the notes and evaluating candidates. As with reviewing application materials, during the interview and when evaluating the candidates, pay attention to assumptions based on characteristics such as gender, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, national origin, and other background that are not job-related. Be aware of cross-cultural misperceptions during the interview; check if your interpretation of candidates’ performance comes from your own cultural lens and your set of values, beliefs, and practices. Try to be culturally inclusive, which requires a willingness to see differences as possibilities rather than disqualifications.

It is strongly recommended for the search committee to meet and discuss the performance of the candidates during the interviews and decide who to move forward to the next stage. Note that the candidates should be evaluated against qualifications, not against each other. Again, it is important to maintain a space where all members are encouraged to voice their perspectives and opinions meaningfully, openly, and freely.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. When I contact candidates for an interview, what kind of information should I give them?
   1. Explain how to get to campus and to the building and room and what the parking arrangements are (meters, parking permits), if driving. Mention the closest disability parking spaces.
   2. Once you have let them know they have been selected for an interview, it can be a good idea to highlight anything special about the position at this time to make sure they remain interested in the position. For example, explain that the position works an alternate schedule, requires traveling, or mention the budgeted salary and ask if it will meet their salary expectations, etc.
   3. Consider inviting them to arrive early and provide them with a copy of the interview questions prior to the interview; we recommend 24 hours in advance. This helps to ensure they are better prepared for an interactive and informative interview.
   4. Give the candidate your name and contact information in case they have to contact you again about the interview. In addition, give them an alternate contact name and phone number to use on the day of the interview in case you are not reachable.
   5. Ask them if they will need any additional information about what to expect during the interview and if they have any questions.
2. What if I can’t reach a candidate to schedule an interview or what if they will not be available during the timeframe established for interviewing (e.g., they are on vacation)?
   1. While it is important to be as flexible as you can in scheduling interviews for your top candidates to ensure you get the best qualified person for the position, you must balance this against your need to fill the position in a timely manner.
   2. If a candidate selected for the interview requests an interview date/time that falls outside of the timeframe set for interviewing, check to see if the timeframe can be extended. The best practice is to at least offer one alternate interview opportunity, it may be helpful to offer a remote interview. If the scheduling conflict continues such that the interview cannot take place, you should notate your efforts in attempting to resolve the matter, and indicate the candidate was unavailable for an interview on the Applicant and Candidate Disposition Log within the Recruitment Documents Suite.
3. What if a member of the search committee misses one of the interviews?
   1. While it is always best for all search committee members to participate in all interviews there will be emergencies, such as illness, where attendance may be possible. In this case another committee member may take more detailed notes than normal and then brief the missing committee member on the answers to the interview questions. Be sure to notate when this occurs in the recruitment process notes you submit to Talent Acquisition.
4. Do I have to ask each interviewee the same questions?
   1. The same standard questions should be asked of each interviewee. In addition, you may ask non-standard questions that are specific to an interviewee in order to clarify a response they gave, ask for examples or to elaborate on an example given, or to ask follow-up questions about an interviewee’s qualifications. You must ensure the standard and non-standard questions are always job related.
5. What are the best kinds of interview questions?
   1. The best interview questions are simple, direct and open-ended, and are designed to draw out a person’s behaviors, abilities and experience with respect to the requirements of the job.
   2. The best predictor of future performance is past performance: ask applicants about what they’ve actually done, in specific behavioral terms whenever possible. For example, instead of asking, “Are you good at what you do?” ask for specifics: “What kinds of documents did you prepare? What steps did you take to resolve that problem? How much volume did you manage? What kinds of decisions were you asked to make? Describe the steps you take to cope with interruptions and still meet your deadlines?”
   3. Examples of non-standard interview questions:
      1. Questions of clarification: We couldn’t tell from your application whether you designed workshops yourself or just conducted workshops that other people had designated. Could you tell us exactly what your responsibilities were?
      2. Probing questions ask the candidate to tell you more or to clarify information on their application materials or a comment they made in the interview: Could you explain more about what you mean by “student-oriented leadership”?
   4. Examples of standard interview questions:
      1. Direct questions are easy to understand, and are more likely to yield concise answers and specific information. Ask what you want to know:
         1. What were your responsibilities at your last job?
         2. What kinds of software have you used? For what kinds of tasks?
         3. What kinds of decisions did you have authority to make on your own?
      2. Open-ended questions allow the candidate to decide how to present an answer, and may therefore reveal something about verbal communication skills, ways of organizing information, and the way a candidate thinks about things:
         1. Tell us about your current job and your primary responsibilities.
         2. What do you think is the best way to develop leadership skills in students?
      3. Problem or situational questions require a candidate to analyze a situation and can tell you something about how they approach solving problems:
         1. What would you do in a situation in which …?
         2. When you evaluate someone’s performance, how do you handle areas in which the person is not performing adequately?
      4. Questions that ask candidates to recall their actual past behavior in a situation can be very effective:
         1. Think of a time you had to make a quick decision, and describe it for us.
         2. Tell us about a time when you disagreed with your supervisor. How did you approach them, and what was the result?
6. How can I assess multicultural competence?
   1. Ask questions that focus on knowledge, skills, and experience and are job-related such as:
      1. What have you done that required communicating with people whose first language was not English? What do you think is important to be aware of in communicating with non-native speakers?
      2. We’d like you to think of a time when cultural differences came up in a job you held. Please describe the situation as well as how you managed it. What did you learn?
7. Can I ask hypothetical questions?
   1. It’s fine to ask hypothetical, or situational, questions, e.g. “What would you do if ...”. However, keep in mind that many people’s behavior at work may differ from the behavior they describe during an interview. Rather than asking a hypothetical question, you are more likely to get more accurate behavioral information about the candidate if you ask them to describe their actual experiences and how they handled real situations, e.g. “We’d like you to think of a time in your work experience when you had to assist an unhappy customer. Please describe what their conflict was, and the steps you took to resolve the matter.”
8. What are common biases one may have making interview judgments
   1. First Impressions: Forming a favorable or unfavorable impression of someone in the first few minutes of the interview, and filtering or distorting information that comes later. For example, we may immediately be drawn to a charismatic candidate and not notice they lack specific qualifications for the job. Or, you may decide right away that the candidate is unsuitable and tune out for the rest of their interview, missing their other qualifications. The latter case also creates the danger where the person will notice they aren’t being seriously interviewed and assume they are being discriminated against.
   2. Halo Effect: Over generalizing and being so influenced by one striking characteristic of a candidate that you ignore all other characteristics, e.g. rating someone high overall because that person seems to be articulate, or rating someone low overall because they are quiet.
   3. Contrast Effect: The tendency to evaluate someone in comparison with something other than the criteria, e.g., evaluating a candidate too highly because they are interviewed right after a very unqualified candidate.
   4. Negative Information: When trying to distinguish among well qualified candidates, avoid searching for negative information to use to disqualify a person. This can result in the negative factor having disproportionate undue influence that may not make that much difference in later performance.
   5. Fleeing to Objective Indicators: When faced with difficult decisions among well-qualified candidates, avoid the tendency to search for any information that appears to be "objective" such as number of years of experience. This may not be a valid predictor of how strongly a candidate will perform. A high performing candidate with five years of experience may be more qualified than a moderate candidate with ten years of experience.
   6. The "Similar to Me" Effect (also known as affinity bias): Being influenced by some way in which the candidate shares an experience or characteristic in common with you, e.g., where a person is from, the school they attended, etc. A similar dynamic is the impression that a person is a "UC Santa Cruz kind of person."
   7. Deciding who will “fit in well"; fit is based on an assumption that they are like us and therefore must be a good fit. It is important to avoid this as it results in screening out diversity of all kinds. Try to distinguish a valid criterion of "interpersonal skills", from bias based judgments of personal style. Dangers to watch for: individual differences in dress, accent, type of eye contact, degree of formality in an interview, assertiveness, etc., can have a very different meaning in different cultures and subcultures. Also watch for differences in sex and evaluate “style”, e.g. confident women may be more impressive to women than to men; tentative and friendly women may be more impressive to men than to women. Make sure your decisions are job-related and try to expose the existence of personal bias through discussion with the committee members.
   8. Inferences about motivation: Assuming that we can know something about a candidate’s motivation by inference from their life's circumstances, e.g., that a candidate who "really needs a job" will be more motivated than one who isn't dependent on the income, or that a candidate who is currently commuting to a job "over the hill" is just looking for a way to avoid the commute. Related is  "overqualified" judgments, i.e., that a candidate who has more than the required qualifications "will be bored with the job" and will leave as soon as a "better" job is available.

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